Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 猜 | cāi |
| 猜測 / 猜测 | cāicè |
| 推測 / 推测 | tuīcè |
The term is used to describe the act of forming an unconfirmed conclusion or a personal hunch. While 猜 is the common way to express a personal assumption in conversation, such as in the phrase 我猜 (I guess), the noun form 猜測 / 猜测 can also refer to a prediction regarding the outcome of something.
Which one should you use?
The forms in the pack vary based on the level of logic and formality involved. 猜 is a simple guess. 猜測 / 猜测 is a more formal and written term often used for speculation or conjecture. 推測 / 推测 implies a more logical or evidence-based deduction, similar to inferring or deducing.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
You can use the reduplicated form 猜猜 to make the tone of the verb softer. This is commonly used in casual phrases like 'guess what'.
How do you pronounce it?
cāi
When do people say it?
During the Lantern Festival, it is a traditional activity to participate in 猜燈謎, which involves solving riddles written on lanterns.
Did you know?
- The character 猜 contains a radical 犭 which represents a 'dog'. In ancient Chinese, the word was originally associated with animal-like behaviors or instincts before it evolved to mean 'guess'.
- The phrase 猜不透 is often used to describe people, meaning you cannot 'see through' their intentions. It treats the act of guessing like trying to look through a physical barrier.
- While 猜 is a guess, the formal term 推測 uses the character 推 which literally means 'to push'. This suggests the idea of 'pushing' a line of reasoning forward to reach a conclusion.
Examples in context
- 元宵節要猜燈謎。It is a must to guess lantern riddles during the Lantern Festival.This sentence is useful for learning about the tradition of solving lantern riddles with 猜.Tatoeba #5854684 by xjjAstrus, translation #9419682 by BobbyLee
- 我猜汤姆很累了。I guess Tom is tired.This sentence shows how to use 猜 to express a personal hunch.Tatoeba #14037658 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #5840478 by CK
- 猜猜我遇到什么事了！Guess what happened to me.This sentence demonstrates the use of the reduplicated form 猜猜 to make a request softer.Tatoeba #9496095 by jin1, translation #250047 by CK
- 我们需要进行一些猜测，然后做进一步的实验。We need to make some guesses and then conduct further experiments.
- 根据我的推测，他可能会选择去大城市工作。Based on my guess, he might choose to work in a big city.
- 我们来猜猜看答案是什么。Let's guess what the answer is.
- 我不知道，只能瞎猜了。I don't know, I can only make a wild guess.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Wei and Xiaowen are looking at a gift on the table.
- 伟 Wei你猜这是什么礼物？Nǐ cāi zhè shì shénme lǐwù?Can you guess what gift this is?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我猜是一本书。Wǒ cāi shì yì běn shū.I guess it is a book.
- 伟 Wei猜错了，是一套化妆品。Cāi cuò le, shì yí tào huàzhuāngpǐn.You guessed wrong, it is a set of cosmetics.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen原来是这样啊。Yuánlái shì zhèyàng a.So that's how it is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guess” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 猜, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
